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Building new capacity to increase children's outdoor play

Summary of the impact

Many children and young people are not sufficiently active to achieve a range of physical and mental health benefits. Extensive research undertaken at the University of Bristol has developed gold-standard methods of quantifying the important contribution that time spent outdoors and greater child independence make to children's daily physical activity. This work has provided unique data to support the development of a new, low-cost approach to adapting residential streets in Bristol for regular outdoor play. The Bristol model has been adopted nationally to provide street-play opportunities in the most disadvantaged areas. It is building capacity to promote outdoor play in a range of public- and third-sector agencies at local, regional and national levels. As a result, children are spending more time outdoors and undertaking increased physical activity, while both children and adults are engaging in more social interaction on residential streets. The model has also been showcased internationally, supporting a cultural shift towards reintroducing the street as a place for children's outdoor play. This shift is necessary to combat the marked decline in street play and child independence which has occurred in recent decades.

Submitting Institution

University of Bristol

Unit of Assessment

Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Promoting physical activity and well-being in children and adolescents

Summary of the impact

Research conducted at the University of Bath has influenced policy and practice regarding the promotion of physical activity and wellbeing in youth. Canadian and UK governments have revised their physical activity guidelines and recommendations for children and adolescents based on research co-produced by staff from Bath. In Canada, these revised physical activity guidelines have been used by the not-for-profit organisation ParticipACTION as the basis for multi-million dollar multimedia advertising campaign which generated more than 100 million earned media impressions. These revised guidelines are also being used in the measurement and monitoring of national trends in physical activity in large national surveys in Canada. In the UK, revised physical activity guidelines have been directly distributed to key stakeholders and more broadly disseminated to the public via NHS Choices and national charities (e.g., British Heart Foundation). Our research contributed to the Be-the-Best-You-Can-Be London 2012 initiative that is now embedded within the National Curriculum and has already been delivered to over 115,000 pupils across the UK in the first two years of the programme alone. The International Olympic Committee used our research on physical activity requirements in youth when addressing the General Assembly of the United Nations to inform a resolution on the global prevention of non-communicable diseases.

Submitting Institution

University of Bath

Unit of Assessment

Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Children’s physical activity: stimulating policy debate and health improvements

Summary of the impact

Research led by Professor Roger Mackett of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at UCL on children's physical activity has been used by central and local government, other public bodies and various advocacy groups to encourage children to be more active. It has been used to support policy documents and proposals aimed at improving children's health and wellbeing. It has led to improvements in the health, welfare and quality of life of many UK communities through, for example, their greater use of walking buses, which also contributes to reduced CO2 emissions.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Civil and Construction Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

3. Monitoring Global and National Levels of Physical Activity in Youth

Summary of the impact

Physical inactivity is a global health risk. Research undertaken by the Child and Adolescent Research Unit (CAHRU) demonstrated that there are low levels of physical activity in children across Europe and North America. The findings have informed international [World Health Organisation and UNICEF] strategies to address the physical inactivity and inequalities concerns in youth. Research in Scotland specifically demonstrated low levels of physical activity in adolescent girls. This led to adolescent girls becoming a priority target in the review of the Scottish Government policy `let's make Scotland more active' and to government funded programmes [Fit for Girls; Y-Dance; Girls on the Move].

Submitting Institution

University of Edinburgh

Unit of Assessment

Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

“School’s In!”: Promoting Children’s Physical Activity and Health in Educational Settings

Summary of the impact

High global and national prevalence levels of child obesity and physical inactivity carry a substantially increased health risk. Exposure to this risk is exacerbated in north-west England where health inequalities are large. Consequently, the prevention of physical inactivity and associated conditions such as obesity are vital at the local level. This case study summarises the impact of research within the Research Institute for Sports and Exercise Sciences (RISES) that has focused on children's physical activity and health promotion in educational settings in the North West of England. This research has been utilised by the Local Authorities that have partnered with RISES to develop and deliver; health and physical activity monitoring (SportsLinx); evidenced-based programmes of physical activity for schoolchildren (school-based interventions); and educational practice development (teacher training) that have demonstrably enhanced children's physical activity and health.

Submitting Institution

Liverpool John Moores University

Unit of Assessment

Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

“Sporting Playgrounds: Its time to play” – modifying school playground environments to increase physical activity

Summary of the impact

This case study summarises impact consequent to empirical research related to the concept of "Sporting Playgrounds" from the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (RISES). The "Sporting Playgrounds" project addressed the global problem of falling levels of childhood physical activity through the introduction and assessment of innovative markings and physical structures to the school playground. Research outcomes have changed National and International school playground planning and design as well as altering educational policy. Associated health economics analysis has demonstrated the cost effectiveness of these interventions. The project has also developed novel approaches to the overall practice of assessing children's physical activity levels which have informed continuing efforts to monitor and improve children's physical activity within educational settings.

Submitting Institution

Liverpool John Moores University

Unit of Assessment

Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

The development of physical activity guidelines for public health

Summary of the impact

Research undertaken at the Centre for Physical Activity and Health Research within the Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute has directly contributed to changes in public policy surrounding the health benefits of exercise and has informed the development of international and national physical activity guidelines.

Submitting Institution

University of Ulster

Unit of Assessment

Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

Physical Activity

Summary of the impact

Physical inactivity is strongly related to coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. Research at the University of Cambridge has focused on the development and validation of methods for assessing physical activity in population studies and on the application of these methods to quantify the type and dose of physical activity that is important for different health outcomes. This research has contributed to development of public health guidelines. Research into the determinants of activity levels in different population groups and the evaluation of interventions aimed at individuals and the wider population has contributed to NICE guidance on different forms of interventions to increase physical activity.

Submitting Institution

University of Cambridge

Unit of Assessment

Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Adoption and maintenance of active lifestyles in ‘hard to reach’ communities

Summary of the impact

It is widely acknowledged that increasing physical activity (PA) levels within `hard-to-reach' groups is challenging. Researchers in the School have addressed these challenges resulting in impacts in two recognized `hard-to-reach' groups: ethnic minority communities and patients who are at risk of disease onset and/or are suffering from diminished quality of life/disability due to chronic disease. In the former, our research has demonstrated how to make PA accessible and appropriate; in the latter, in addition, we have increased physical activity levels. In both examples, our research has changed professional training and/or standards.

Submitting Institution

University of Birmingham

Unit of Assessment

Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Supporting the development of children’s socio-emotional well-being

Summary of the impact

This case study represents the work of the Pyramid research team within the INSTIL Education Research Group (INSTIL ERG). Research at the University of West London is characterised by an ambition to promote `useful knowledge' and this case study, with its focus on providing evidence to inform and direct practice, fits within this approach. The case study describes the first rigorous evaluation of the impact of Pyramid after-school clubs that aim to improve the socio-emotional wellbeing of vulnerable children. The work of the Pyramid research team provides an empirical evidence base to support the work of a range of stakeholders including: practitioners; policy makers and researchers in the field of children's socio-emotional well-being, and the children and their families. Drawing on the evidence base, these impacts include the securing of funding for the continuation of Pyramid clubs in schools and informing future development and extension of the Pyramid club intervention for delivery to other age groups.

Submitting Institution

University of West London

Unit of Assessment

Education

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Education: Specialist Studies In Education
Studies In Human Society: Sociology

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